Pool-table register



Jqly 3.' 1923.

c. ABsMElE-R POOL TABLE REGISTER Filed Sept. 17 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet' llig@ 133g* July 3, 1923. y.1,469,527

C. ABSMEEER POOL TABLE REGISTER Filed Sept. 17 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 3, 1923.. 1,460,527

' C. ABSMEIER POOL TABLE REGIS\TER Filed Sent. 17 l92l 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 lnuenor 4MM@ ,lease which Jthe register mue Patented July 3, 1923. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL AB SMEEB), G .73

Application Filed Septeiiiner 15.2",

To all vvii/wm t may concern,.-

' Be it known that l. @ann citizen of the United .dta of: siding' at Grand Rapids7 in he vlient and Stato ot Miel inn, he certain new and useful. Pool-Table Registers; Clare the following to he .fi exact description ot the investie". .i will enable others skilled in the art to i it apperteins to ineke and use the s This invention relates to o, refT tieularlv adapted ttor use with poo though not lirnited in use to the one mentioned. it is a iinarv obi n view showing` the register ianisin whe. he middle unit thereof has characters refer to like ai... ,c /order rail :2 on the which the register easing' is e casing' in which the inechapose of the present i-.gifeiiition t i y A iminediatelj7 under the rail ister which will. register th of Q w r. short distance above the lower idiiirr ,flange 10 which passes over the 7 to the parts G. i

nonies played end at the saine 1 the value ot the ogame plgve'". total taken in jtor each talle a day or any other perioo` o computed7 thus safeguard i the tables dishonesty oi attendants. A turther obi tion is to provide ineans wher b ant niust operate the reojistei thc rack used for setti` balls iised, the racli. l, y in place on the regsjister7 to urxlocl i record the ogame played, other objects and purposes not fr specifically stated will appoint iul detail together with novel constructions tor attaining: the saine. as underetsiidinpj oil' the invention is had the tollowinc de scription. taken in connection with the act coinpanvingr drawings. in which. latch bar riiountcd above the flange 10 Fie'. 1 is a tront eleraton ot the ref l d its ends with depending' its front casino' cover heine tions 14; which pass through show the interior structure. si the s inside in the 'flange 10. A table and lower part oi" the cosine heini; in ,innected to and extents i'ipwardliY as shown in Fig); il. adapted to be and under the de oi" the roel- 12` thc lugs 7 winced over vertical section. ein eeen end oi bar 13. having slidable Fig. 2 is i traninentarv plan view ot the .iount lugs 16 and 1"? cast with and proindicator mounted on t le table to show ,ioni jecting forward Yfrom the beck plate A. above. spring 18. around each rod 15 and located Fig. 3 is a plan view ot the movable indibetween the ripper lne' 16 and a pin 18'* eatorllrnernberi. essingAv througrl'x the rod. serves to noriuiillxv Fig. 4t is a. vertical section. through the hold the latch bar in lower position. register and adjacent portions oit the trible. .1t eech end ot the latch bar` a lng 19 Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section, having; au opening` Q0 therethrough. is posisirnilar to Fie'. it. showing the lower part ot tioned. looking; rod 21 beingv adapted to the register with the mechanism in adiii'erenter the opi-inl@ to tlierebv hold the latch ent position troni that shown in said Fi il. bar locked in lower position. The rods 21 Fig'. 6 is a horizontal section teilten ,fr-.ibare .Qlidablv mounted through lugs 22 eX- stantially on the plane of' line 6. ot Fira'. 1. tendini upwardly troni the flange 1.0 sind et.

their rear ends loosely enter openings made through the parts 6. Rods 2l normally are iinpelled Jforward by springs 24 located between parts 6 and arms 25 secured to the rods. The arms extend upwardly7 and toward each other at an angle to the vertical and at their upper ends are. lixed to rods 26 which are bent backwardly at right angles from a` rod 27 which is located horizontally near the Yfront side 9 ot the casing. The rods 26 loosely enter openings 26 made through parts 6. and springs 29 located hetween the upper ends ol2 arnis 25 and said parts 6 normally serve to torce the rods 26 and connecting` rod 27 forward.y as is evident. lith the latch bar l?) in lower position, the elect of springs 29 and 2li is to move the front ends oitr rods 2l. into the openings 20 to lock the latch bar in lower position.. and a rack l2 located back ot the projections li cannot be removed.

In the upper side or each racl; supporting lug 7 a recess 3() is made in which a member 31 is located, the 'forward upper portion of which is formed with an inclined upper side 32. Members 31 are secured on rods 33 mounted vertically and pass looselyi through part 6 below the rods 2l. and also through nuts 35 screwed into the lower sides ot lugs 7. A spring 3&1 is located around each rod 33 between each nut 35 and member 3l tending t0 elevate the member and rod. The upper end of each rod is formed with a reduced portion 36 shaped to enter a recess in the lower side oit the adjacent rod 2l when such rod has been moved bacl; Jardly to unlocking position. lhen the rack l2 is placed on its supporting lugs 7. it rides against the inclined upper sides 32, therel forcing members and attached rods 33 to the lower position shown in Fig. fl. lWhen lthe raclr is removed. springs 254i are tree to elevate said members and rods to the position shown in Fig. 5.

The lat-eh bar 1.3 carries three upwardly extending headed pins 37, 33S and 39 the same being spaced apart at equal distances. Pin 37 passes through an ear l0 turned at right angles from the lower end ot a vertical bar #il which, at its upper end, has a second laterally extending ear slidably mounted on a vertical guide rod There are two or the rods i3 spaced apart and secured at their upper en ls to a cross bar 44 which is attached to the back plate 3. and at their lower ends to lugs cast with the plate. rack bar 46 having a rack 47 cut in one side is secured to and extends upwardly from bar 4l. passing'through a hori- Zontalguide bar i6 connected to baclv` 3. The. upper endl o'l the rack bar is operatively connected by links 46 with a number register 49. the design being suchthat reciprocation or' the rack bar is registered on the number register., the speciic construction oit which is no part of the present invention. Rack bar 46 and attached parts are normally held in a lower position by a spring 50 mounted between the bar 48 and a lug 51 projecting troni the rack bar. and located around afrod 52 which is secured to the lunr 5l and passes upwardly through the bar 46. The cover plate 9 has an opening 53 therethrough through which the numbers showing on register 49 are visible.

A gear 54e is in mesh with the rack at 47, beingmounted on a sl'iatt which is rotatably mounted at its rear end in the back plate and at its troni; portion in an inwardly projecting boss 56. the shaft extending through said boss and being formed at its lfront end with a triangular shaped end 57 with which a` suitable key 58 may engage for manually turning the shaft and gear to operate the rack bar. The shape ot the shaft at 57 may be varied without changing the invention.

Pin 39 on the rack bar 1S also passes through an ear 59 turned at right angles at the lower end of a vertical bar 60, it having at its upper end a second laterally projecting ear 6l slidably mounted on the other vertical guide rod lil. rack bar 62 having a rack 63 at one side is connected with bar 60 at the upper end thereoi1 and passes through bar 4.8, being connected by linkage 63 with a serond number register 64- mounted back ot cover plate 9, the numbers being visible through an opening like that shown at 53. fr spring 65 between bar 48 and a lug 66 projecting Yfrom the rack bar 62 serves to normally hold the rack har and attached parts in lower position, The spring is located around a. rod 67 attached to lug- 66 and iliassiug upwardly through bar 46. A gear 66 mounted on a lrey shal't 69 operates the i bar through the nie'lium ot a hey'. In lact this second registeiing` unit is practically identical in structure with the one Yfirst described, except tor slight modifica-- 'tions due to the diiierent locations ol` the two units.

A. rod 76 is slid ably mounted througl'l bar niidvf'ay between its ends. a rack bar 72 'formed at one side with a rack 73 tonnecting therewith at its upper' end. The lower end or' rod T6 provided with a head 71 having parte extending laterally at each side. ik gear 7dmoun'ted and operated the same as gears 54 and 68 meshes with the rack 73 lor operating rach' bar 72. A spring 75 between the bar and a lug 76 projecting from the bar and around a rod 77.l serves to hold theracl bar and attached partsin lower position. bar 78 connects at its upper end with the lower portion ot therack bar 72, is bent forward to pass over the bar i-l and extends downward to the central pin 3S, being formed at its lower end with an ear 79 through which the pin passes. A

third number register 80 is operated by reciprocatory movements of the rack bar T2, through suitable linl connections 72n lil-te registers 49 and 64 and the numbers arc lihewise visible through an opening*` in the 'front side of the casing.

Two rack bars 8l and 82 are slidablf," mounted on rods 43, the inner adjacent sides ot said bars being equipped with rack teeth which engage a pinion 83 iirzed on u shaft 84 which is mounted horizontally bet* veen the hack and front of the casing. A. berelled gear 85 is secured to the shaft in viront ot pinion 83 and meshes with a second bercllerl gear 88 fixed at the lower end of a `vertical shaft 87, the saine extending` upwardlyv through the casing, lug 4, and an opening made in the rail 2, to a shallow recess 88 cut in the upper side of the rail. An indicater plate 89 having a series of numbers indicative of the prices of the games played is attached to the upper end of shalt 87i lying within the recess and being normally.7 concealed from View by a plate 90 corerin the recess. A circular opening' is made through the plate through which one indicating number on plate 89 only can be seen. The means used to mount rack bars 8l sind 82 on the rods 43 consists of up ver brackets 82 and 93, the former being' connected at the upper end of rack bar 8l and haring laterally extending portionsat eacii sido lying above the ear 6l and head 7L as shown, while the latter has similar ears coming; above ear 42 and said head 71. For the lower ends of the rack bars brackets 94 are used, the only function of which is to slidably mount the lower ends of the rack bars on rods 43.

Each of the bars 4L 60 and 78 carries a cam member 96 at its lower end. The cani members are located at the lower en ds of and in front of the bars being connected by foi:- wardly extending arms 95 'formed integral with said bars. Each cam member has nu inclined rear side 97 for a distance. below which the rear side of the cam mei er is vertical. A bearing band 98 is position i in front of the cam members to hold them against spring away from the rod 27 which is normally located directly at the upper limit of the inclined cam portions 87 of said members.

lith the mechanism in the position in Figs. l and 4, the latch bar 13 in latching position, the rack l2 being held nach or the latching, lugs or dogs i4 and the late@ bar is locked in position by locking; rods 2l. This is where the rack is placed iminediatehv after the balls have been racked at the beginning of a game. After the game is finished, the rack is to be used again for the starting of a new .game7 the attendant. using; key 58, places itin conjunction with one ot the registering units corresponding with attached end rods 26 hach. this carrying; the locking rods bach also and nadeel-:ing

lilith 'the continuracl them from the latch bar. ation ci the upward movement ot the bar and attached har Q the ear ni latch bar so to oi-iup; toe proieetii 14 abo o, the lower s' e ot' hangs l0, the racl 2 for removal. At the s 'J engages unter bar whereby thus turning shaft 87 so as to Le indica 9i. in cerrr 99. The other racl; barl 8l is correspondingly lowered to the position shown in Fig. 7. lilith the removal oi: the ball rack the members 3i are released and rods more upwardly. the ends 3G thereof cnwith and holding` locking rods 2l. in unlocking position. as shown in 5, the 27 remaining stationary or dwelling bel `id the vertical rear side or the cani nfnber 96. Yi7hen the rack taten. the numeral 25 on t directly under the openi .i balls properly positioned on th hen placed orer the supportino* l s 'T and 'forced hack to the position 4, Vthe latch bar. being unioclzed, eleva ng Ato permit passage ot said raol i2 which coming to the inclined upot members depressies their.. iin.- the rods 2l which immediately noire forward and loch the latch har against ui ward movement. The .movement of the bar 4G serres t more the number re. isi'er 49 so :is to .int-icute one more than it registered before.

Atter this operation. the bers and remain in the position to which they have been moved, the indicator plat. snowingA the ne being; played, lt the sucto he of the Cf.,

cupied by them7 troni. that shown in Fig; i.,

and the numeral. l0 appears through open-v ing 91.

In any case, the `registers at 4S), 80 and 641 show the numbers of games ot each kind. playethtrom which it is easy to compute the total taken for playing. The rack l2 ivill be chained or otherwise attached to the table so that it is necessary to return it to the register after use. The construction is a practical safeguard against dishonesty ot attendants, check being kept on the games played and the amounts taken in similar to cash registers of various kinds `in stores, on street cars and the like,y The inventionV is defined in the appended claims and I consider myself entitled to all Ylorins ot constructioncoming Within their scope.

I claim: ,1. In combination, a casing, a plurality of registering counters located Within the casing, said casing having openings to show the numbers on the counters, a plurality of vertically reciprocable bars mounted vfor vertical movements Within the casing` one tor each counter, meansconnecting the bars With the counters to operate the same on movements of said vertical bars` a latch bar located within the casing horizontally above the bottom of the casing, said latch bar having locking dogs projecting therefrom through the bottom of the casing, means normally holding the latch bar in lower position, lugs located under the bottom of the .casing on which a4 pool ball rack may be placed back of the locking dogs, -means operatively connecting each of the vertical bars with the latch bar to ele-vate the latch bar on upward movement ot any one of the vertical bars. and means for individually `A`elevating the vertical bars, substantially as described.

Q. In combination, a casing, a registering counter therein, said casing having an opening to shovT the numbers on the counter, a latch bar mounted in the lower portion olf the casing having latch dogs extending through the bottom of the easing, lugs located under the bottom otthe casing on which a pool ball rack may be placed behind the dogs` a vertically reciprocable bar within the casin a headed pin on the latch bar, the pin passing through the lower end ot the vertical bar, means 'for elevating the vertical bar, spring means tending to keep said vert-ical bar in loiver position, and means connecting the upper end of the vertical bar With the counter to operate the counter by movement of the vertical bar, substantially as described In combination with a pool or like table, a plurality of registeringcounters, a latching means for holding a pool ball rack against removal, individual means for separately operating the counters, and connections between the latching means and each ot said individual means for moving the latching means to position to release the rack on operation of any one ot' said individual means, substantially as described.

A'l'. In combination. a hollow casing, a latchv bar located horizontally in the lower part ot the casing having latching dogs projecting therefrom through the bottom of the casing, lugs located under the casing on which a pool ball rack may be placed back of the locking dogs, spring means normally holding the latch bar in lower position, a plu ality of headed pins projecting upwardly from the latch bar. a plurality of vertical bars having laterally turned ears at their lower ends through which said pins pass, a rack bar attached at the upper end of each vertical bar, a pinion in enggement with each rack bar, a shaft on which each pinion is mounted, said shafts at their front ends being formed to receive an operating lacy, and a registering counter operatively connected With the upper end portion of each rack bar, substantially as described.`

5. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 4, combined with locking rods adapted to engage with the latch bar to hold it in lower position, and

means operated by movement of any one of the vertical bars in an upward direction for retracting the locking rods previous to upward movement of the latch bar, substantially as described.

6. A register for a pool table or the like, comprising a plurality of registering counters, a casing enclosing the same, latching` means at a side ot the casing tor engaging with kand holding a pool rack ball against removal, individual means for operating each counter, cach including a member adapted to be operated by a lrcy extending to the front of the casing, and connections between the latching means and each of said individual means for moving the latching means to release the rack on operation of any one of the individual means.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

CARL ABSMEIER. 

